


Muriel (The Arcana) One Shots

by Septic_Sans



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gen, Heavy Angst, I swear I will write nicer one shots later, I'm Sorry, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Non-Canonical Character Death, One Shot Collection, Psychological Trauma, Short One Shot, Some Canon, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 12:43:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17447225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Septic_Sans/pseuds/Septic_Sans
Summary: I have not been all that inspired to write fully fledged stories currently, so instead I'm making this collection of Muriel-centered One Shots. The first one is really not happy... like really not... but I plan to make a mixture of them in the future (from fluff, to angst, to smut etc.)If you have any requests, please feel free to comment them!(I will not write rape/non-con or anything incestuous, sorry)





	1. Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Just warning you all that this is quite detailed in its description of a person's reaction to traumatic experiences, so please do not read this chapter if you think it may upset you

_He tasted like smoke and whiskey,_

_But with words that sound like honey,_

_He_

_Stole_

_My_

_Breath_

_Away._

_And although my lungs ached,_

_As he overtook my brain,_

_I foolishly decided to_

_Stay._

_Big mistake._

_Because his eyes only saw red,_

_Even as I lay trusting in his bed,_

_He just couldn’t get it out of his head,_

_That he should be the one dead._

_And so when I came back that day,_

_I thought the silence was some kind of game._

_But when I     opened         the              door,_

 

_His feet no longer touched the floor,_

 

_Like an injured bird_

_Finally_

 

_F_ _l_ _ying_

 

 

_Away._

 

_And I couldn’t help but think,_

_As I swallowed those pills and drinks,_

_Why wasn’t I good enough to_

 

_Stay?_

 

.   .   .

 

“I love you, Muri! Why can’t you just believe me?!”

I shrug my silken robe back on over my naked form and angrily storm out of the hut into the woods, paying no mind to how the cold seeping into my, mostly bare, skin feels. The taste of his alcohol-coated tongue still burns fresh in my mind. I draw my lips into a hard line and continue further into the forest, wanting nothing more than to be as far away from him as possible.

_Why must he make things so difficult…_

But I know why.

And yet I can’t stop the next thought that plagues my mind.

_Why am I not good enough for him?_

.   .   .

After storming around in the cold for a while, I’ve finally released all the anger built up inside of me. Now, I want nothing more than to hold him in my arms… to allow all the love contained within my heart for him to overflow.

_If he won’t believe my words, then I just need to prove to him that I’ll be here no matter what…_

The pounding in my heart settles as the small building comes into sight once more. I reach for the door before beginning the apology I rehearsed repeatedly on the way back.

“Muri… I’m so sorry, I- “

But the words die in my throat.

Just as every other function in my body follows suit.

…

…

…

And then the shaking starts.

It blossoms in my bottom lip; a feeble tremble which steadily spreads through my face.

Within seconds my entire body is quaking… _convulsing_ … as I fall to my knees.

I go to say something… _anything._

But a guttural scream tumbles from my lips instead.

That’s when the tears start.

Hot, thick liquid streams down my cheeks as my face contorts into truly horrifying and agonising states.

 

Muriel’s limp feet float a few inches above the floor right before my eyes.

 

The frequency of my screams increases, and I begin to hyperventilate.

I should take him down, I should check if he’s still breathing… I should just do _something_!

But my body refuses to move… Even as I choke down the last of my cries.

And something worse replaces the ever-consuming despair.

It causes all wrinkles of sorrow in my face to smooth out, and every tear in my eyes to dry up.

I slump down onto my back and stare motionless at the branched ceiling above me.

…

Many hours pass before one final sound falls pathetically from my lips.

 

 

“Why…?”


	2. Friends Without Benefits (Part 1?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Modern AU with Fem!Reader:  
> After a rather short-lived and shitty 'relationship' with Lucio, The Apprentice turns to alcohol and her loyal friend, Muriel, for not particularly healthy coping mechanisms...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably really bad as I kept getting writers block on it, sorry

I barely knock twice before the door swings open and large, familiar figure ushers me inside. Once the door clicks shut, he envelopes me in his warmth. The tears continue to stream downwards, soaking his dark grey t-shirt, as I nuzzle further into his chest.

“I just- I just can’t believe it…”

“Shh…”

The husky-honey voice I know so well manages to ease some of the tension in my shaking body. _How could he do this to me…?_ Even though it’s only been a couple of months since Lucio and I started dating, I still can’t get past the pain of the thing he did. And, on top of that, I almost lost my best friend because of that damn waste of a relationship. Thoughts returning to said friend, I look up into his green eyes once more to see a sombre look upon his face. Muriel’s warm, calloused palms find my cheeks so that he can brush the burning liquid away with his thumbs.

“Even though we had a falling out over…. _Him_ … just know that I’ll always be here for you, okay?”

Shame and regret still squeeze at my barely-beating heart as I smile softly at him.

“Thanks, Muri…”

.   .   .

I slam the shot glass down on the counter. That’s my tenth one in the past two hours.

The entire room is beginning to go blurry, people in sequined and fluorescent tops gliding passed my peripheral. Idle chatter and thumping music begin to blend together, intensifying my migraine.

_Why do I have to be such a damn light-weight?_

Feeling rather depressed about taking shots in a club by myself, I decide it’s time to leave. As I push through the crowd towards the exist though, I’m confronted by the sight of Lucio grinding against some brunette guy.

 _Oh, for fucks sake… I guess it’s kind of my own fault for going to a gay_ _bar…_

Praying to God that he doesn’t notice me, I try hiding among a throng of wasted – _and rather attractive_ – girls my age. But, just like everything else in my life… this doesn’t work out. As I finally make progress towards the exist, my eyes meet with his pale ones.

_God, why does he have to be so gorgeous?_

He smirks, before turning back to his dance partner. All I can do is freeze and stare at him like an idiot as his moves become more and more provocative. Silver irises flash back at me every so often, confirming my fear that this is all some kind of spectacle. It’s been just over a month now…. But _fuck_ …. I’m still not over him. Nausea churns in my stomach as I make my way towards the exist with a lot more urgency. As soon as I break out, a stream of vomit rushes out of me.

_I’m such a fucking mess._

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I continue to stumble onward. Blue dots swim in the air in front of me.

_Shit…. That’s really not good…_

I suddenly trip on a crack in the pavement, falling to my hands and knees. It stings where my skin contacted the ground, and I can tell I’m going to have some nasty grazes there.

“Are you okay?”

A girl with heavy eye makeup stares down at me. Despite it all, I nod my head and smile at her.

“You sure? I can call a taxi for you or something if you want?”

I contemplate it for a moment before sighing.

“That would actually be great, thanks.”

“No problem, us girls gotta look out for each other, right?”

Her carefree smile puts me at ease for a moment.

“How far away is your house?”

A thought suddenly races through my head.

_Although she seems trustworthy, I probably shouldn’t go to my apartment alone tonight… Maybe I can get her to just drop me off at Muriel’s…_

“Not far.”

I return a similar smile, but guilt eats away at my insides for some reason.

.   .   .

I collapse in a heap on an armchair. The girl was kind enough to walk me to his door, and I managed to get her number and name before being escorted inside by a rather disgruntled Muriel.

_I’ll have to shout her a coffee sometime…_

My six-foot friend plops on the sofa to the left of me with a sigh.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

The words don’t come out with any menace behind them, he simply sounds…. _Done._ My eyes flick sideways to see his head tilted back, neck exposed to the ceiling. For some reason, I get the urge to run my lips over that tanned skin of his.

_Wait, what?_

“I can’t let you carry on like this… It’s not healthy.”

My headache worsens as I roll my eyes at him.

“What do you suggest I do then, bawl over his sorry ass?!”

“You’ve been doing that with and without the alcohol…”

I let out an exasperated sigh.

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? I just don’t know how to deal with this kind of thing!”

He pauses before choosing his next words.

“Maybe you just need to find a new coping mechanism.”

Our eyes lock once more, and the air between us feels… off. And I can’t help it, I just get this urge to release all this pent-up anger. In a matter of seconds, I’m straddling Muriel’s thighs, and his hands are in my hair; tugging me harder into the kiss.

And I just know that there’s no going back.

.   .   .

It was precisely 1:33 am when she knocked on my door. I know this because I was still up, anxiously stressing over her safety once again.

_Why did that shithead have to mess her up like this?! And why does she have to be so reckless?! Why can’t she just come to me about her problems…?_

And then it hits me.

_It’s your fault… You pushed her away. You should’ve been a better friend and kept your jealousy to yourself. You’re so horrible… you were even secretly happy when you found out their relationship fell apart... I bet you just want to be some kind of ‘rebound’ for her…. You’re so fucking pathetic…_

Erratic tapping against my door shocks me out of my spiraling thoughts. I’m not surprised when I catch sight of that familiar face. But there’s someone else holding her up too. Rolling my eyes, I apologise to the girl.

_Great, now she’s dragging more people into her mess…_

She waves it off, smiling. Then she passes on her contact details to my wasted friend upon request before walking off. I think about carrying the wobbling mess inside but decide against it. As soon as she’s in, she plops down on her favourite chair. And, although I’m so damn mad… I can’t help but find myself still longing to be hers… even in this state. I stroll over and sink down with a sigh.

_She’s not gonna like it, but I should probably talk to her anyways…_

She half listens as I do my same song and dance. I catch her looking at me weirdly a couple of times but think nothing of it. That is, until my final sentence leaves my lips.

“Maybe you just need to find a new coping mechanism.”

Swallowing thickly, I glance over at her once more, presuming that she’s fallen asleep already.

That’s when it happens.

Before I really know what’s going on, she’s on my lap kissing me, hands placed firmly on my shoulders. My hands instinctively tangle in her hair to pull her in further.

_God how long I’ve yearned to do this…_

I just hope she can’t taste the whiskey on my tongue; a reminder of my shameful hypocrisy.

“Muri…”

Her unrestricted moan is music to my ears as my lips lavish her throat.

But then it reminds me of the position we’re in.

I hastily pull back.

“We can’t do this.”

Pain from my rejection flashes behind her eyes.

“Why not...?”

But she knows…

We both know.

And oh how I wish I didn’t stop… that I let her stay in my arms until the sun rose outside my apartment window… that I finally told her how I feel… that she finally _looked_ at me for once… but that can’t happen.

It will never happen.

Because although my heart belongs to her… she could never see me that way. She only thought of this as an opportunity to let off steam.

“Sorry.”

The words shatter my heart as she climbs off me.

“If you want, you can take the bed, and I’ll crash here on the couch…”

She shakes her head, smiling sadly.

“It’s okay, I’ve gotten used to the feeling of sleeping on here.”

I don’t know what else to say to her…

So I simply get up and walk away.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone enjoyed this story-line, then I may do some more parts to it, but if not I feel as though that is an adequate ending... (just kidding I'm dying inside)


End file.
